Kings vs. Wings Open Forum: Redemption Or Regression.

Hammond called the game a shot at redemption. Good job, Rich. There is truth there.

We blew the lead to Detroit’s B team. On Tuesday, at home, we play another version of the same with Lidstrom, Bertuzzi & Datsyuk out.

If the Kings do redeem themselves, they will take a step toward control of their destiny…a small step. If they lose, it will be yet another bloody blow to a season marked by more than a few. Recently, our m.o. is to take the lead and surrender it. It’s strange to watch variations of game three against San Jose manifest itself. The same FUCK YEAHS! followed by the OH NOES! over and again. Speaking of San Jose, you heard it here first – if they make the playoffs, they will be a dangerous team and will go far. My apologies for the interlude but my sense is tripping into the playoffs is exactly the reality check that team needs to recognize their time is almost up and if they don’t lay it on the line and play with everything they got, they won’t get it again for a while…fuck San Jose and that interlude.

If we haven’t yet figured it out, the Red Wings play an offensive game I covet – in the high percentage scoring areas with tape to tape passing and one time shots from the wheel house. So let’s take away those passing lanes for the love of the Hockey Gods and Drew, watch the gap between you and the attacking forward. For a change, I’d like to play a balanced game, one that doesn’t involve gray hairs and heart palpitations.

Doughty was draped all over that guy (was it helm? Can’t remember who scored) but wtf he still couldn’t stop him. You play D in front of the guy with the puck Doughnuts, not behind him and not in the goal with Quick ;)

“the Red Wings play an offensive game I covet ”
Love their dot to dot offense. Can’t understand why more teams don’t see it.

Good point re: San Jose. If the Kings make the playoffs they’ll also be dangerous. I’ve long felt that the teams that struggle into the playoffs seem to have more early round success then the season leaders.

My take as such is that Detroit has a very distinct philosophy and a clear and solid structure, and they then draft, (or acquire vis FA and trades) players who fit that philosophy perfectly. Sounds easy, no? Then I ask, as you do, why don’t others follow suit.

It’s like an artist who does elegant simple work. It looks so simple when you see it. Yeah, but try doing it and see how simple it is.

If the Kings don’t win tonights game I don’t know what will happen, but with the teams in front of us doing what they’re doing, there is no room for error.

Was the last Kings vs Wings game as ridicously boring for everyone else or was it just because I had to watch it on the Wings broadcast? Those annoucers are freaking terrible! The most uneventful broadcast I’ve ever witnessed. I really hope the Kings don’t play on channel 13 anymore so I can watch Bob and Jim on NHL Center Ice.

… It’d be nice if Drew got a little help out there, once in a while. It’s not against the law for some forwards to backcheck, after all.

“For a change, I’d like to play a balanced game, one that doesn’t involve gray hairs and heart palpitations.”

… Hey, I thought the need was to score more goals, right? Usually a by-product of scoring more goals is more goals allowed. I suppose a certain degree of it depends on which Quick shows up, doesn’t it? The one who played excellently in Chicago, or the one who followed the 25% rule in Detroit?

Dutch, you don’t have to worry too much if the Kings can hold em to four shots tonight…… not per period, but for the game. That would be one GA. I’m certain the Kings can find a way to get two.
I’m not sure why I’m responding like this. It must have something to do with that image of Doughty diving into the goal and into Quick to try and be a surrogate goalie.

… In other news, the Kings’ nomination for the Masterton is apparently none other than Colin Fraser. I guess he had an injury, or something. Certainly there haven’t been many hockey players who have recovered from injuries.

I think Kopitar should be nominated for the Masterton for having to play with this team for 82 games.

Sorry man. I realize you have your own style and all….. that’s cool. But the above comments aren’t cool. I work in kid’s fashion, and it’s really inappropriate. None of us are perfect here, but I just think that there are ways of saying the same thing differently.
Thanks.

I’m thinking we should hope for a Flames win because I fear the Sharks more and they have a game in hand on us. However, if the Kings take care of there own games and just win more than 3 in a row, which we’ve done, what, like 3 times this year.

Plus, if this Sharks vs. Flames go to overtime it better end in a Shootout!

The Macintyre video reminded me of a thought I hate about Kyle Clifford’s decline.

You know how so many NHL enforcers have talked about how depressed and stressed they were and what wrecks they were because of their job? Looking ahead at who they would probably have to fight, knowing they would get concussions and these huge strong guys drilling them in the face without gloves, intense head aches, all of that.

Well, last year, when Kyle Clifford was playing well and chipping in goals, I believe Kevin Westgarth was in the lineup. Westgarth was the main enforcer, and while Clifford fought some middle-weights here and there when the game situation required it, he did not have to bear the weight of being the enforcer, being the fighter on the team.

Now, he’s the one guy, the one enforcer, and it’s his job to always be the guy who fights, because Westgarth isnt in the lineup anymore.

Could that have something to do with Clifford’s decline in play?

Or it could just be that, the main enforcer or not, Clifford got beat up one too many times in one of those fights (when Westgarth was in the lineup or not, doesnt really matter), and he’s been playing with concussions ever since, with slightly slowed reflexes due to painkillers.

I think there’s a lot of validity in what you say. I imagine that Clifford in his rookie camp and first year was willing to do whatever it took to stay with the team. Also if you’re aware via highlights of the fact that Simmer is doing a lot of fighting in Philly, makes one think that he could easily have taken a certain amount of the load off of Clifford.

Hate to go back to the GM again, but if you look around the league, a certain amount of the enforcers can handle the rough stuff and make a go of it as a player as well. Taking nothing away from Westgarth, but when you look at Boston with Thornton (is it?), and then they have someone like Lucic who contributes on both ends.

So back to your point, it sure makes sense. I mean, who else on the team is gonna fight. Can’t think of one other forward. Penner, JW, Kopi, Brown, etc. You got Richards, but he’s just not physically constructed that way, nor should he be the guy.

And to take your post a step further, I wonder if that has something, ….. something to do with the team not being difficult to play against like they were before. Same for the d-corps. Greene will drop em, but he isn’t really a fighter, and no one else on the d-corps strikes fear in any forwards hearts for fear of getting hit hard.

Yep, good post by you. More in it than I’ll bet you even thought was there.

I think Cliffy was a bit overrated last year, probably because he kicked so many people’s asses in fights, and who can’t get behind someone like that? I really do not think he is suffering slow reflexes or anything like that from losing some fights last year which 3teamfan is suggesting.

He looks pretty much the same, imo. He was a bit better in the playoffs and late last year, but for most of the season he was “invisible”, more or less. You’re seeing the same player this year.

I do think he is a bit hesitant to fight this year (or maybe no one but heavies want to go with him and he doesn’t want any part of that anymore), but we have a few people who can share his load and Fraser is stealing some opportunities as well, despite being an awful, awful “fighter”. Nolan can kick some serious ass with his Right Right Right loltrickedu left left left left left left left left left left’s, and I’m sure Dwight picked up some tips from his brother DJ.

It would be nice to have Shawn Thornton on our team, but there aren’t too many of those floating around. Most enforcers are not very good hockey players.

Kings v. Wings tonight? Oh. I just remembered I have to wash the cat, and then clean out under the refrigerator…might even have to watch a Clooney movie with the wife. Then I’ll poke my eyeballs with searing hot needles.